Electric valve-controller for automatic fire-extinguishers



(No Model.)

T. ATKINSON.

ELECTRIC VALVE CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. No 381,459.Patented Apr. 17, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrieii.

THOMAS ATKINSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC VALVE-CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,459, dated April17, 1888.

Application filed November 22, 1887. Seri a1N0.255,92'2. (No model.) 1

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, Taonas ATKINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrieo and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in ElectricValve-Controllers forAutomatioFire-Extinguishers, ofwhieh the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cXtinguishersknown as stationaryfireextinguishers, in which a system of pipes is arranged in a buildingwhich is to be protected and has connected thereto means forautomatically operating a valve or valves in said system,whereby theextinguishingfluid is released and dis charged into the room or rooms inwhich the fire occurs.

The object of my invention is to provide a more efficient and certainmeans for releasing the said extinguishing-fluid at the proper time, andalso to enable the immediate detection of any disorder in the releasingmechanism that may occur.

To these ends my invention consists in providing either in the main pipeor in each of the branch pipes of an ordinary system a releasing-valveof any preferred form, which is operated by a lever on which is a weightfor depressing said lever, the same being held in horizontal position byan electro-magnet. The circuit of this electro-magnet is adapted to bebroken, and the magnet thereby (lo-energized by means of oneor morethermostats.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FigureI is an elevation of abuilding having several apartments in which isfixed a fire-extinguishing system, as herein described. Fig. II is adetail view of the valve-controlling apparatus in normal position. Fig.III is a similar view with the operatinglever released.

Ais the main pipe, running vertically up the side of the building,having the valve A, on whose square head a is fitted a lever, B, in suchmanner that the valve will be closed when said lever is in horizontalposition.

F is a weight fitted upon the lever B and adapted to freely slidethereon.

b is a collar integrally or otherwise secured near the inner end of thelever. c is a similar collar fitted at or near the outer end of thelever and having cast integrally therewith a piece, 0, adapted to beused as an armature for the electro-magnet D. Between these collars Z)and c the sliding weight F is confined in its movement. Theelectromagnet D is secured in such position as to hold the lever Bhorizontal by means of the armature G.

E represents a thermostat in circuit with the magnet D, and may beplaced in any desired part of the building, and of which there may beone or more.

X represents a suitable electric supply.

The lever B is formed with a projection, H, adapted for prehension whenit is desired to releasethe fluid by hand.

Of the above-described valvecontrollers there may be any number. Forinstance, there may be one in the main vertical pipe A and adapted to bereleased by thermostats, and situated in different parts of thebuilding; or there may be'one in each branch pipe, adapted to bereleased only by the thermostat in that particular apartment, in whichcase the vcrtical pipe would be normally open. The weight F is placed atits inner limit on the lever B, so as to obviate unnecessary strain onthe electro-magnet, but is made to slide freely, so that when theleveris released and slightly inclined it will immediately travel to theouter collar, 0, and thus depress the lever fully. This releasingmechanism may be situated either in convenient reach from the floor orat the upper part of a room. In the latter case I provide a drop-handle,h, extending to within convenient reach of the floor. In case the branchpipes are each provided with an independent releasing mechanism asuitable cut-off valve is provided at the base of the building, so as toout off the fluid when desired.

In the above-described device it is obvious that any extinguishing-fluidmay be used with-- out necessitating the changingof the meehan- 9 ICC) 'of the steam, whereas if water were used great damage would be done. Incase it is desired to release the extinguishing-fluid before the firehas gone far enough to affect the thermostats, the lever may be easilyreleased by means of the handle, it being necessary only to usesuflicient force to overcome the electromagnet.

It will be seen that the above-described device has the great advantageof simplicity, and though I am aware that it is not new to formreleasing mechanism of a lever or series of releasing-levers operated bya spring or otherwise, or adapted to be operated by closing the circuit,I am not aware that the precise arrangement of parts set forth in theabove specification has been made, for by the use thereof, together withthe closed circuit, it will always be known when the releasing mechanismgets out of order.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An electric valve-controller for fire-extinguishers, substantially asherein described,

consisting of a drop-lever attached to said valve cured to the lever,said armature being adapted to limit the outward movement of saidweight, substantially as shown.

THOMAS ATKINSON.

Wit-nesses:

E. C. MAYO, ROBT. L. SMITH.

